Orlistat is one of the best known ingredients in diet pills, certainly one of the most researched one. It is included in two of the top selling weight loss supplements in the world – Alli and Xenical. Here are some of its benefits:
- Binds fats and boosts weight loss
- Lowers cholesterol levels
- Lowers the risk of diabetes
- Improves glucose tolerance
- Doesn’t contain stimulants
But is it really as good as it seems? Let’s find out more about this popular weight loss medicine.
What Is Orlistat And How It Works?
It’s a medicine (or actually an active ingredient in several diet pills) that helps overweight and obese people lose weight by binding fats from their food. Orlistat blocks certain enzymes in the stomach and reduces fat absorption by nearly 30%.
These fats that are now left unabsorbed are passed out of your body without giving you any calories. This stops you from gaining weight as new fats won’t be stored on your strategic areas, instead, you will start burning some old storages as you need more energy.
In the UK, orlistat is the only prescription medicine for weight loss. However, some pills like Alli for example, can be bought over the counter as it contains orlistat in smaller amounts. Orlistat is FDA approved in the US and considered much safer than many other prescription weight loss pills (many of which have already been banned).
Who Should Take Orlistat?
Orlistat should not be taken carelessly by just everyone who wants to lose a few pounds. Only people with a BMI over 30 are recommended this drug. In some cases, those with a BMI 28 or above are also prescribed this medicine if they have a serious medical condition and losing weight might help that.
You will only be prescribed these pills if you have already tried everything else – diet and exercise included – to lose weight on your own and nothing has worked. If you don’t lose 5% of more of your body weight in 3 months after you start taking orlistat, you will be taken off from the pill.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, youngsters under 18, people who suffer from cholestasis or malabsorption syndrome should never take orlistat. These pills can interact with other vitamins and medicines, especially since orlistat doesn’t let them be properly absorbed. Be especially careful when taking contraceptive pills as they may lose some of their powers.
All these precautions make us wonder – is it really safe to take orlistat?
Orlistat Side Effects
When investigating side effects, a lot of complaints emerge. The most common problem is that users experience loose bowel and smelly fatty stool. Excess wind and oily spotting are also common. However, all this can be avoided if you keep your diet low-fat. In time these problems should pass.
There is another problem that makes us more worried – there have been reports about liver damage and liver failure that are connected to taking orlistat or drugs that contain orlistat. In the United States, activists are demanding for the government to ban Allie and other drugs based on orlistat.
Other rare side effects include:
- abdominal pain
- kidney stones
- allergic reactions
- dizziness
- lack of sleep
Will It Work For Me?
If you can see past all the side effects and your doctor has prescribed it to you, or if you are planning to buy Alli on your own, you are probably wondering if it will really work and help you get rid of some of your extra pounds.
There have been a lot of studies on the effects of orlistat and the results show that when the drug is combined with a low calorie diet and some regular exercise, it will boost the effects you would normally get from your weight loss regimen. Some people have managed to lose 10% or even more of their weight in just 6 months, for others, results are not as good.
It is important to remember that even though you are taking orlistat, you still need to stay on your weight reducing diet and work out regularly. Orlistat alone will not give much effect.
Where To Get Orlistat?
It is not sold under this name, it is an ingredient in several diet pills. Here are the two most popular ones available today.
- Alli. You have probably heard this name before, maybe you just didn’t know it is based on orlistat to work. Each dose of Alli contains 60mg of orlistat, which means it can block up to 25% of the dietary fats you consume. Alli is available without a prescription in most countries. You can buy it from your local pharmacy or order online. Prices for a months supply stay around £49.00-£59.00.
- Xenical. This is a stronger version or orlistat, only available with a doctor’s prescription. This drug contains 120mg of orlistat in each dose. With Xenical, around 30-33% of the fats are blocked without absorbing. You need to visit your doctor to start taking this pill. It means your BMI must be 30 or above and you must have exhausted all other options trying to get your weight down. A months supply of Xenical costs around £40.
Conclusion
Orlistat is an effective weight loss drug that is FDA approved and the only one that doctors can prescribe to their patients, however, it has some downsides as well. Since it comes with a number of side effects, it may be wiser to choose some natural diet pill instead.
100% natural fat binders don’t have any severe side effects, they have the same kind of fat blocking effect and can successfully help you shed your extra pounds. Proactol Plus is our top choice. It has a great reputation, is proven to work and comes with an 180 day money back guarantee. Best of all, you don’t need a prescription to buy it. Click here to find out more about Proactol Plus.
